City ready to start annual mosquito spraying program | POLL

Recent rains boost populations

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press (FILE PHOTO)
A mosquito is seen biting an arm. The Vanderburgh County Health Department will conduct mosquito spraying in two Evansville neighborhoods as part of its ongoing efforts to combat the West Nile virus. .

EVANSVILLE - Recent rains have caused a citywide mosquito boom, and health officials plan to conduct mosquito spraying in two Southeast Side Evansville neighborhoods this week.

Weather permitting, spray trucks will be in operation tonight and Thursday. Spraying tonight will be in the area south of Covert Avenue, north of Pollack Avenue, east of Seasons Ridge Boulevard and west of Capella Avenue.

On Thursday, trucks will be spraying the area south of Pollack Avenue, north of I-164, east of South Weinbach Avenue and west of South Green River Road.

In case of rain, high winds, excessive heat or ozone alerts, mosquito spraying will be delayed until the next available evening.

Keith Goy, vector control supervisor at the Vanderburgh County Health Department, said this year's mosquito season got off to a later start because of cool springtime weather. Recent rains, though, have left behind standing water that has caused mosquito populations to rise.

The health department regularly sets out traps to monitor the number of mosquitoes around the city, Goy said, and based on the number of mosquitoes detected in Evansville's Southeast Side the department decided to begin its seasonal spraying program this week.

Last year was a fairly active season for the West Nile virus, a disease that is spread by mosquitoes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last year 5,674 West Nile cases were reported nationwide, which was the highest number since 2003. That nationwide number includes 77 cases in Indiana, and one Vanderburgh County resident died of the disease.

Goy said he doesn't expect West Nile to be as big of a threat this year. The type of mosquito that carries West Nile thrives in hot, dry conditions and breeds in water that's either rancid or in sewers. Conditions have not been favorable so far this year for that type of mosquito, Goy said.

"There's always the potential for it (West Nile) every year, but probably not to the extent that we saw it last year."

The spray, an oil-soluble pyrethroid called Duet, targets adult mosquitoes. The spray will be dispersed via trucks that will drive through the target neighborhoods.

Residents of the spray zones should avoid coming in direct contact with the spray, Goy advised, and residents should bring children and pets inside if they see the truck approaching. But once the spray begins to disperse, he said, it should not pose harm to people or pets.

"Any threat of the chemical is outweighed by the threat of the mosquito population," he said.

The health department is also advising residents to do their part at mosquito control.

This includes measures such as cutting back vegetation and keeping grass mowed, which reduces the places mosquitoes can hide during the day; eliminating sources of standing water such as wading pools; and changing birdbath water at least weekly.